Basis joins the health tracking scene with watch-like monitor

We’ve seen no shortage of health-monitoring devices pop up in the last several months, from the Jawbone UP to the Nike FuelBand and several more we could name off the top of our heads, but another one will soon be thrown into the competitive mix. It seems that everyone is interested in personal health tracking, and we can see why. If you have a health monitor that you can wear almost all the time, you can get a very clear and accurate picture of certain health factors that can inform you and help you change your lifestyle and habits for the better.

The new Basis Health Monitor ($199) combines several tracking sensors in a stylish and reasonably-sized watch form. The watch uses an accelerometer to measure how active you are, and skin sensors to measure temperature and sweat, giving insight on how your daily activities affect your overall health. A sensor on the watch also monitors your heart rate, which helps determine sleep patterns as well as how many calories you are burning.

After a quick set up process, the idea is that you can wear it and forget about it and all of your info will still be tracked and recorded. There’s no need to set the Basis to sleep or exercise modes, it should do all of that for you. An online health dashboard will allow users to see all of their stats and info so that they can make changes or adjustments as necessary.

Our biggest complaint about a few of the devices that we’ve seen before is that we wouldn’t want to wear them all the time. Either they are too bulky or look like a strange science contraption. This one is sleek and customizable – users can swap straps for different colors and designs. We like that you can wear it and use it as a watch like you would normally on a daily basis, but you get the added benefit of advanced health tracking. We’ll take one, please.